Canada gives second chance to PNP applicants who lost jobs to coronavirus

Certain applicants of the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) who became jobless due to the Covid19 pandemic will have time till 2021 to get a new job and not drop their nomination.

From 17 September 2020 to 17 November 2020, provincial and territorial jurisdictions can appeal for paper-based Provincial Nominee Program applications to be placed on hold if candidates lost their job offer due to the Covid19 pandemic. This is only applicable to the applications that are received before March 18, 2020.

And Canada will hold these requests until March 17, 2021, or awaiting the candidates to get a new job offer and an authorization from the province or territory that it still supports the nomination, whichever comes first.

Here, the provinces and territories are answerable to informing the aspirant that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will put their Provincial Nominee Program applications on hold.

Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada will get in touch with the candidate by email to give instructions on how to submit other documentation after the province or territory has applied. Candidates should apply to put their application on hold through the province that is maintaining their selection. Individuals who make an effort to contact IRCC to demand that their application be put on hold will be forwarded to the concerning province or territory.

Provincial Nominee Programs

Almost every Canadian province has their PNP that provides a pathway to permanent citizenship.

According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada website PNPs are mainly for individuals who have:

· Expertise, Qualification, and Experience to boost the economy of a specific province or territory

· Want to live in any particular province

· Want to get permanent citizenship of Canada

These exclusive immigration programs are for the educated youth, businessman, skilled worker or semi-skilled workers, etc. Each provincial nominee program has its special requirements.

Generally, you can apply for permanent residence under PNPs in two ways:

· The paper-based method with the hard copy of the application and other required documents.

· Express Entry into a completely online system.

The application type will depend on the stream on which you are applying.

This new step will facilitate the provinces to hold some of the immigrants that they listed for permanent residence in Canada. Usually, provincial nominee programs beneficiaries must retain their job offer during the entire application procedure. This is one of the feasible IRCC’s temporary measures to reduce the effects of COVID 19 on the Canadian immigration process.

Millions of people have lost their jobs in March 2020. According to the latest Statistics Canada report, Canada is considering some economic revival, but the labor market is still not reaching the level of pre-coronavirus. Immigration numbers in July were also down 30 percent in comparison to July 2019.

The new step confirms that Canada is taking sufficient & reasonable steps to welcome immigrants, even with the difficulties created by a coronavirus. Immigration is believed to be key to Canada’s economic recovery, and it plays a big part in Canada’s continuing labor market potency and population growth.